Chapter 5

Writing
1
 1. Organization

2. Writing Style
Chapter
outlines 3. Making an Argument

4. Paraphrase and Summary

versus Plagiarism

2
 1. Understand how to develop and organize
content in patterns that are appropriate for
your document and audience.
Learning 2. Demonstrate your ability to order, outline,
and emphasize main points in one or more
Objectives written assignments.
3. Demonstrate how to compose logically
organized paragraphs, sentences, and
transitions in one or more written
assignments.

3
 1. Organization
The purpose of business writing:
• The purpose of business writing is to
communicate facts and ideas.
• Each document has key components
that need to be present for your
reading audience to understand the
message.

4
Each document must
address the following:
• WHO?
• WHAT?
• WHEN?
• WHERE?
• WHY?
• HOW?
5
General Purpose &
Thesis Statements
The thesis statement should:

1. be a declarative statement;

2. be a complete sentence;

3. use specific language,

not vague generalities;

4. be a single idea;

5. reflect consideration of the audience.

6
 • Ethos, or your credibility, will come through with your
Another way to choice of sources and authority on the subject(s).
approach • Pathos, or passion and enthusiasm, will be reflected in
organizing your your design and word choices.
document • Logos, or the logic of your thoughts represented across
the document.
7
Organizing Principles
1. Time (Chronological) 10. Psychological
2. Comparison 11. Elimination
3. Contrast 12. Example
4. Cause and Effect 13. Process and Procedure
5. Problem and Solution 14. Point Pattern
6. Classification (Categorical) 15. Definition
7. Biographical 16. Ceremonial (Events,
8. Space (Spatial) Ceremonies, or Celebrations)
9. Ascending and Descending 17. Testimonial

8
Organizing Principles

1. Time Structuring your document by time shows a series of events

(Chronological or steps in a process, which typically has a beginning, middle,
and end. “Once upon a time stories” follow a chronological
) pattern.
Structuring your document by comparison focuses on the
2. Comparison
similarities and/or differences between points or concepts.
Structuring your document by using contrasting points
3. Contrast
highlights the differences between items and concepts.
Structuring your document by cause-and-effect structuring
4. Cause and
establishes a relationship between two events or situations,
Effect
making the connection clear.
9
 Organizing Principles

Structuring your document by problem and solution means you

5. Problem and
state the problem and detail how it was solved. This approach
Solution
is effective for persuasive speeches.
6.
Structuring your document by classification establishes
Classification
categories.
(Categorical)
Structuring your document by biography means examining
7. Biographical
specific people as they relate to the central topic.

8. Space Structuring your document by space involves the parts of

(Spatial) something and how they fit to form the whole.
10
Organizing Principles

Structuring your document by ascending or descending order involves

9. Ascending and
focusing on quantity and quality. One good story (quality) leads to the
Descending
larger picture, or the reverse.
It is also called “Monroe’s Motivated Sequence” (Ayres, 1994). Structuring
your document on the psychological aspects of the audience involves
focusing on their inherent needs and wants. See Maslow and Schutz. The
10. Psychological
author calls attention to a need, then focuses on the satisfaction of the
need, visualization of the solution, and ends with a proposed or historical
action. Useful for a persuasive message.
Structuring your document using the process of elimination involves
11. Elimination
outlining all the possibilities.
Structuring your document by example involves providing vivid, specific
12. Example examples (as opposed to abstract representations of data) to support
main points.
11
Organizing Principles

Structuring your document by process and procedure is similar to

13. Process and the time (chronological) organizational pattern with the distinction
Procedure of steps or phases that lead to a complete end goal. This is often
referred to as the “how-to” organizational pattern.

Structuring your document in a series of points allows for the

14. Point
presentation of diverse assertions to be aligned in a cohesive
Pattern
argument with clear support.

Structuring your document with a guiding definition allows for a

15. Definition clear introduction of terms and concepts while reducing the
likelihood of misinterpretation.

12
Organizing Principles

Structuring your document by focusing on the following:

16. Ceremonial 1. Thanking dignitaries and representatives
(Events, 2. The importance of the event
Ceremonies, or 3. The relationship of the event to the audience
Celebrations) 4. Thanking the audience for participation in the event,
ceremony, or celebration

Structuring your document around a testimony, or first-

17. Testimonial person account of an experience, can be an effective
way to make an abstract concept clearer to an audience.
13
Outlines
An outline is a framework that organizes main ideas and subordinate
ideas in a hierarchical series of roman numerals and alphabetical letters.

14
Outline 1 Outline 2
Introduction Main Idea

I. Main idea: Point 1 Subpoint 1 General purpose,

1. specific information 1 1 Introduction statement, or thesis
Body 2. specific information 2 statement

II. Main idea: Point 2 Subpoint 1 Point 1:

1. specific information 1
2. specific information 2
2 Body Point 2:

Body
III. Main idea: Point 3 Subpoint 1 Point 3:
1. specific information 1
2. specific information 2
3 Conclusion Summarize 3 main points
Conclusion Summary: Main points 1–3

15
 Outline 1
Outlines (Cont.) Introduction Main Idea

This is a generic outline in I. Main idea: Point 1 Subpoint 1

1. specific information 1
a classical style, which Body 2. specific information 2
can be used for reports,
or documents. II. Main idea: Point 2 Subpoint 1
1. specific information 1
2. specific information 2

III. Main idea: Point 3 Subpoint 1

Body 1. specific information 1
2. specific information 2

Conclusion Summary: Main points 1–3

16
Outlines (Cont.)
This is an alternate outline Outline 2
form that may be more General purpose,
suitable for brief documents 1 Introduction statement, or thesis
like letters and emails. statement
Point 1:
2 Body Point 2:
Point 3:
3 Conclusion Summarize main points

17
Paragraphs
• Paragraphs are how we package
information in business
communication, and the more
efficient the package, the easier
the meaning can be delivered.
• Each paragraph has one idea,
thought, or purpose that is stated
in an introductory sentence.

18
Let’s address each in turn:
1. The topic sentence states the main thesis, purpose, or topic of the
paragraph; it defines the subject matter to be addressed in that paragraph.
2. Body sentences support the topic sentence and relate clearly to the
subject matter of the paragraph and overall document. They may use an
organizing principle similar to that of the document itself (chronology,
contrast, spatial) or introduce a related organizing principle (point by point,
process or procedure).
3. The conclusion sentence brings the paragraph to a close; it may do this
in any of several ways. It may reinforce the paragraph’s main point,
summarize the relationships among the body sentences, and/or serve as a
transition to the next paragraph.
19
Effective Sentences:
four basic types of sentences
Declarative - You are invited to join us for lunch.

Imperative - Please join us for lunch.

Interrogative - Would you like to join us for lunch?

Exclamatory - I’m so glad you can join us!

20
Effective Sentences: the four
basic types in combination
Simple sentence. Sales have increased.

Compound sentence. Sales have increased and profits

continue to grow.

Complex sentence. Sales have increased and we have the sales

staff to thank for it.

Compound complex sentence. Although the economy has

been in recession, sales have increased, and we have sales staff to
thank for it.
21
Transitions
• Transitions involve words or visual devices that help the
audience follow the author’s ideas, connect the main points
to each other, and see the relationships you’ve created in the
information you are presenting.
• They are often described as bridges between ideas, thought
or concepts, providing some sense of where you’ve been and
where you are going with your document.
• Transitions guide the audience in the progression from one
significant idea, concept, or point to the next.
• They can also show the relationships between the main point
and the support you are using to illustrate your point, provide
examples for it, or refer to outside sources.

22
Transitions
1. Internal Previews 8. Comparison
2. Signposts 9. Contrast
3. Internal Summaries 10. Cause and Effect, Result
4. Sequence 11. Examples
5. Time 12. Place
6. Addition 13. Clarification
7. Similarity 14. Concession

23
2. Writing Style

1. Formal versus Informal

2. Introductions: Direct and Indirect
3. Adding Emphasis
4. Active versus Passive Voice
5. Commonly Confused Words
6. Making Errors at the Speed of Light

24
3. Making an Argument

1. Effective Argumentation Strategies: GASCAP/T

2. Evidence
3. Appealing to Emotions
4. Recognizing Fallacies
5. Ethical Considerations in Persuasion

25
Effective Argumentation
Strategies: GASCAP/T
Here is a useful way of organizing and remembering seven key argumentative strategies:
1. Argument by Generalization
2. Argument by Analogy
3. Argument by Sign
4. Argument by Consequence
5. Argument by Authority
6. Argument by Principle
7. Argument by Testimony
27
4. Paraphrase and Summary
versus Plagiarism

• To reproduce the quote verbatim, or word for word, making

sure that you have copied all words and punctuation
accurately: put quotation marks around the quoted
passage and give credit to the source.

APA (American Psychological Association)

MLA (Modern Language Association)

CMS (Chicago Manual of Style).

• To paraphrase, or rewrite the information in your own

words.

• Summarizing information is another common way of

integrating information into your original work that
requires care and attention to detail.

28
29